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Psico, Porto Alegre, v. 55, n. 1, p. 1-11, jan.-dez. 2024
e-ISSN: 1980-8623 | ISSN-L: 0103-5371

http://dx.doi.org/10.15448/1980-8623.2024.1.42765

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Viver ou morrer? A influência das emoções desencadeadas

por palavras nos tempos de reação manual
Living or dying? The influence of emotions triggered by words on manual reaction times
¿Viviendo o muriendo? La influencia de las emociones provocadas por las palabras en
los tiempos de reacción manual

Paulo Frassinetti Resumo: Estímulos afetivos influenciam o comportamento devido a facilitações/

inibições que ocorrem no sistema sensório-motor. Para estímulos positivos,
Delfino do Nascimento1
orcid.org/0000-0001-6754-3948 respostas ipsilaterais tendem a ser facilitadas e as contralaterais inibidas. Para
paulodelfinonascimento@gmail.
estímulos negativos, o padrão é invertido. Atualmente, 34 voluntários foram
com submetidos à Tarefa de Compatibilidade Espacial Afetiva, cujos estímulos de
valência inata foram as palavras “viver” e “morrer”. No mapeamento 1, execu-
taram-se respostas ipsilaterais para a palavra “viver” e respostas contralaterais
Nelson Torro Alves1 para a palavra “morrer”. No mapeamento 2, ocorreu o inverso. Através da aná-
orcid.org/0000-0003-3678-5762 lise temporal, investigamos se e como palavras que desencadeiam emoções
[email protected] inatas modulam a resposta motora. No mapeamento 1, constatamos respostas
ipsilaterais mais lentas à palavra “viver” do que contralaterais à palavra “morrer”
(a partir do 3º quintil). Porém, no mapeamento 2, houve diferença apenas no 3º
quintil. Os efeitos facilitadores da resposta contralateral ao estímulo negativo
Allan Pablo do
estão possivelmente associados a mecanismos automáticos de vigilância para
Nascimento Lameira2 detectar/evitar estímulos de ameaça.
orcid.org/0000-0001-8644-526X
Palavras-chave: tarefa de compatibilidade espacial afetiva, valência afetiva,
[email protected]
dinâmica temporal

Abstract: Affective stimuli influence behavior due to facilitations/inhibitions

that occur in the sensory-motor system. For positive stimuli, ipsilateral responses
tend to be facilitated and contralateral inhibited. For negative stimuli, the pat-
Received on: 07 fev. 2022. tern is reversed. Currently, 34 volunteers were submitted to the Affective Spatial
Approved on: 13 mai. 2023. Compatibility Task, whose innate valence stimuli were the words “living” and
Published on: 26 jul. 2024. “dying”. In mapping 1, ipsilateral responses were executed for the word “living”
and contralateral for the word “dying”. In mapping 2, the reverse occurred. Using
temporal analysis, we investigated whether and how words that trigger innate
emotions modulate the motor response. In mapping 1, we found slower ipsilateral
responses to the word “living” than contralateral responses to the word “dying”
(from the 3rd quintile). However, mapping 2 revealed a difference only in the 3rd
quintile. The facilitating effects of the contralateral response to the negative sti-
mulus are possibly associated with automatic vigilance mechanisms to detect/
avoid threatening stimuli.
Keywords: affective spatial compatibility task, affective valence, temporal
dynamics

Resumen: Los estímulos afectivos influyen en el comportamiento debido a las

facilitaciones/inhibiciones que se producen en el sistema sensoriomotor. Para
los estímulos positivos, las respuestas ipsilaterales tienden a ser facilitadas y
las contralaterales inhibidas. Para los estímulos negativos, el patrón se invierte.
Actualmente, 34 voluntarios fueron sometidos a la Tarea de Compatibilidad Es-
Artigo está licenciado sob forma de uma licença pacial Afectiva, cuyos estímulos de valencia innata fueron las palabras “vivir” y
Creative Commons Atribuição 4.0 Internacional. “morir”. En el mapeo 1, se ejecutaron respuestas ipsilaterales para la palabra “vivir”

1
Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
2
Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Cajazeiras, PB, Brasil.
 2/11 Psico, Porto Alegre, v. 55, n. 1, p. 1-11, jan.-dez. 2024 | e-42765

y contralaterales para la palabra “morir”. En el mapeo internal impulses or the automatic capture of
2, ocurrió lo contrario. Mediante un análisis temporal,
investigamos si las palabras que desencadenan emo- attention by external stimuli), varied classes of
ciones innatas modulan la respuesta motora y cómo lo stimuli have been used, such as emotional faces
hacen. En el mapeo 1, encontramos respuestas ipsila-
terales más lentas a la palabra “vivir” que respuestas (Nascimento et al, 2018; Heyes & Catmur, 2022;
contralaterales a la palabra “morir” (del tercer quintil). Shaham, Mortillaro & Aviezer, 2020), pictures
Sin embargo, el mapeo 2 reveló una diferencia sólo en
el 3er quintil. Los efectos facilitadores de la respuesta (Cavallet et al., 2016, Conde et al, 2018, 2014a,b,
contralateral al estímulo negativo están posiblemente 2011; Yamaguchi et al., 2019, 2018), auditory (Carl-
asociados a mecanismos automáticos de vigilancia
para detectar/evitar estímulos amenazantes. son, Conger & Sterr, 2018; Ferri et al., 2015) and
Palabras clave: tarea de compatibilidad espacial linguistic stimuli (emotional words) (Arioli, et al.,
afectiva, valencia afectiva, dinámica temporal 2021; Imbir et al., 2020; Nascimento et al., 2020;
Robinson & Fetterman, 2015).
The preference for the processing of emotional
Most of the time, we are surrounded by nume-
stimuli, especially the negative ones, is possibly
rous and varied stimuli that recruit our attention,
linked to evolutionary strategies that deal with
demanding a cognitive and behavioral control of
threats (Flykt, 2006; Ohman & Mineka, 2001; Zsido
the individual to execute an appropriate response
et al., 2019). According to Bebbington et al. (2017),
(Beatty & Janelle, 2020; Imbir et al., 2020). Given
we are more attentive, and prepared to defend
that attentional resources are not unlimited, some
ourselves, in dangerous situations than in positive
stimuli will gain preference, such as those with
settings. Thus, organisms have developed an
affective characteristics (Pool et al., 2016; Todd
innate and automatic system orchestrated by the
et al., 2018).
amygdala, responsible for directing attentional
Affective stimuli are considered important
resources toward biologically relevant threats
biological sources of information, processed effi-
(e.g., snakes, spiders, guns) (Åhs et al., 2018).
ciently even in patients with damage to the striate
Using different experimental paradigms, such
cortex, involving vision-related processes (Gauer
as the spatial compatibility task, several studies
et al., 2019). Several theories have been proposed
have reported the influence of affective features
to explain how the emotional properties of the
on inhibitory control. Essentially, the appearance
stimulus influence decision making. According to
of a neutral stimulus in the right or left visual
appraisal theories, organisms have developed a
hemifield triggers the automatic orientation of
system to quickly detect stimuli that are relevant
attention to its position, facilitating motor respon-
to the individual’s current concerns (Moors et al.,
ses on the same side (Azaad et al., 2019; Lameira
2013; Pool et al., 2016). The amygdala quickly de-
et al., 2015; Umiltà & Nicoletti, 1990). However,
tects the relevance of the stimulus and increases
through the use of an experimental protocol
cortical perceptual representation, making it more
developed by Conde and collaborators (2014a),
salient and likely to divert attention (Brosch, et
the Affective Spatial Compatibility Task, studies
al., 2013, 2011; Verhage et al., 2018). On the other
have found that the emotional properties of the
hand, the basic theory of emotion proposes that
stimulus may modulate the behavioral respon-
emotions are sustained by distinct psychological
ses. In general, ipsilateral responses are faster to
mechanisms (Ekman, 1992). Positive and nega-
positive stimuli than to the negative ones, while
tive stimuli, such as joy and fear, have different
an opposite pattern occurs to negative stimuli,
routes of attentional engagement and motivate
with faster contralateral responses to the stimulus
approach and avoidance reactions, respectively
position (Cavallet et al., 2016; Conde et al., 2014a,
(Blakemore & Vuilleumier, 2017; Estes & Verges,
2011; Nascimento et al., 2020; Yamaguchi et al.,
2008; Krieglmeyer & Deutsch, 2013, 2010).
2019, 2018).
In order to understand how emotional stimuli
Recently, using the same protocol, Nascimento
influence inhibitory control (the ability to control
et al. (2020), evaluated behavioral tendencies to
attention, thoughts and behaviors while ignoring
 Paulo Frassinetti Delfino do Nascimento • Nelson Torro Alves • Allan Pablo do Nascimento Lameira
Viver ou morrer? A influência das emoções desencadeadas por palavras nos tempos de reação manual 3/11

words with affective valence. Unlike previous formed the experiment. All were right-handed,
studies that used pictures as emotional stimuli assessed by the Edinburgh Handedness Inven-
(silhouettes of soccer players, flowers, and spi- tory (Oldfield, 1971), had normal visual acuity or
ders), they used the names of the candidates were wearing corrective lenses at the time of
for the presidency of Brazil in the 2018 elections, the experiment, and were naïve about the main
selected according to the participant’s preference purpose of the study. The research was conduc-
(favorite/positive candidate and rival/negative ted according to the most recent version of the
candidate). The results were similar to the afo- Helsinki declaration and approved by the ethics
rementioned studies, showing that ipsilateral committee of the institution, under the protocol
responses for the favorite candidate (positive CAAE: 95153218.2.1001.5188 (Approval Opinion:
valence) were faster and more accurate than 2.924.896).
contralateral responses. For the least prefer-
red candidate (negative valence), on the other Apparatus and Stimuli
hand, responses were faster and more accurate
The experiment was conducted in a quiet,
when made with the contralateral key. In other
dimly lit room. A desktop computer was used for
words, they found that words, more precisely,
presenting the stimuli and recording the respon-
the names of people relevant to the individual,
ses. Participants were positioned on an adjusta-
were sufficiently strong to modulate the spatial
ble forehead and chin rest, so that the distance
compatibility effect.
between their eyes and the screen remained at
Lucas et al. (2019) found that the name of
about 57 cm. The stimuli were displayed on a 28’’
someone known elicits emotional reactions as-
HDMI monitor with a resolution of 1024 by 768 pi-
sociated with the person, similar to the view of
xels and a refresh rate of 100hz. The presentation
the face. Other works have shown an increase in
of the stimuli and data collection were performed
heart rate and skin conductance, as well chan-
using E-Prime version 2.0 (Psychology Software
ges in the P300 and P200 components, when
Tools, Pittsburgh, Pa). Responses occurred by
individuals see the names of relevant people to
pressing the “A” (left) and “6” (right) keys of a
themselves (Doradzińska et al., 2020; Kotlewska
standard ABNT2 keyboard.
& Nowicka, 2015; Tacikowski et al., 2014, 2013).
The stimuli used were the words “LIVING” and
Unlike previous studies, which analyzed res-
“DYING”, which were 1.5° in height and different in
ponses to learned affective stimuli, such as na-
width due to the number of letters. The largest
mes of favorite and rival candidates, here we
(DEAD) was 8.3° wide, and the smallest was 6.9°
evaluated responses to linguistic stimuli with
wide. All words were written in black, capital let-
innate valence (living and dying), situated at the
ters and against a light gray background.
extremes of affective polarity. Volunteers were
submitted to the Affective Spatial Compatibility
Procedure
Task, consisting of four experimental blocks. In
We applied a procedure similar to that used by
two blocks, volunteers were instructed to press
Nascimento et al. (2020). The volunteers started
the ipsilateral key for the word “living” and the
the experimental session consisting of four blocks,
contralateral key for the word “dying”; and, in the
each with 80 trials. Before the first and third block,
other two blocks, the rule was inverted.
everyone underwent a training block consisting of
40 trials. Each trial started with the fixation point (+)
Method
remaining in the center of the screen for 500ms,
followed by the appearance of the stimulus in the
Participants right or left visual hemifield that remained on the
Thirty-four participants (17 males, 18 to 26 screen until the participant’s response and/or up
years old, mean age = 21.4 years, SD = 1.75) per- to 1000ms. After responses, a 250ms feedback
 4/11 Psico, Porto Alegre, v. 55, n. 1, p. 1-11, jan.-dez. 2024 | e-42765

in the center of the screen revealed the reaction two blocks, the inverse rule was used (mapping
time in blue for the correct response or the word rule 2): Press the key on the opposite side of the
“error” in red for an incorrect response. stimulus when viewing the word “LIVING” (con-
In two blocks of 80 trials, participants were tralateral response/incompatible condition) and
instructed to respond according to mapping press the key located on the same side of the
rule 1: Press the key located on the same side stimulus when viewing the word “DYING” (ipsila-
of the stimulus when viewing the word “LIVING” teral response/compatible condition). It is worth
(ipsilateral response/compatible condition) and noting that the sequence of presentation of the
press the key on the opposite side of the stimulus trials (stimuli) occurred randomly and the order
when viewing the word “DYING” (contralateral of the blocks in each task was counterbalanced
response/incompatible condition). In the other across all participants (Figure 1).

Figure 1. schematic showing the two mapping rules used in the experiment. In Mapping Rule 1, the
instruction was “Press the key located on the same side of the stimulus when the word “LIVING”
appears (Ipsilateral Response/Compatible Condition) and press the key located on the opposite side
of the stimulus when the word “DYING” appears (Contralateral Response/Incompatible Condition). In
mapping rule 2, the reverse rule was used.

Analysis
The TRM obtained in each experimental con- mental condition, with the inclusion of outliers,
dition were submitted to temporal dynamics may camouflage significant differences (Leys et
analysis that makes it possible to distinguish the al., 2013). According to Ratcliff (1979), distributio-
mechanisms responsible for the spatial compati- nal analyses are important tools to understand
bility effect, such as the interference of affective the mechanisms at work in reaction times tasks,
valences on the TRM. In experimental psychology, because mean-based models may falsify the
reaction times analyses are usually performed real behavior of the volunteer. In other words, the
with the mean value of the responses. However, analysis of performance cannot be based only on
the analysis of overall averages for each experi- the accuracy of a response, but must take into
account the time required to capture, process,
 Paulo Frassinetti Delfino do Nascimento • Nelson Torro Alves • Allan Pablo do Nascimento Lameira
Viver ou morrer? A influência das emoções desencadeadas por palavras nos tempos de reação manual 5/11

and produce a response to a target stimulus. le condition) than for the word “dying” (ipsilateral
In this process, the distributional analysis of the response/compatible condition) with significant
TRMs (Ridderinkhof, 2002) occured through the difference only in the third time interval: 3º quintile
Vincentization procedure (Ratcliff, 1979), followed (p=0.039), 593 (living) and 607 (dying) (Figure 2);
by the construction of Delta-plots (De Jong et 3. the TRMs for the incompatible condition with
al., 1994). This analysis consists in ordering the the word “dying” in mapping rule 1 are faster than
TRMs in each experimental condition, divided for mapping rule 2 (compatible condition), with
into percentiles. By using the average of each significant differences in the third and fourth inter-
percentile, the differences between incompatible val: 3º quintile (p=0.03) and 4º quintile (p=0.005),
and compatible conditions are calculated and with TRMs of 578ms (mapping rule 1) and 607 ms
represented as to the amplitude of the spatial (mapping rule 2) for the third interval (SCR effect
compatibility effect. Next, after obtaining the of -29ms), 635ms (mapping rule 1) and 664ms
averages in each percentile, the TRMs were sub- (mapping rule 2) for the fourth temporal interval
mitted to an ANOVA with the following factors: (SCR effect of -29ms);
Mapping Rule (mapping rule 1 and mapping rule 4. No significant difference occurred between
2), Compatibility (compatible and incompatible responses in mapping rule 1 (ipsilateral key/
conditions), and bin (from 1º to 5º). Finally, plan- compatible condition) and mapping rule 2 (con-
ned comparisons were used for further analysis tralateral key/incompatible condition) for the
of the differences between conditions (Tagliabue word “living”.
et al., 2007). All analyses were performed using
the statistical software SPSS version 25.0 and Error analysis
Statistica version 10.0 (StatSoft, Inc. 2007, www.
The TRMs of the wrong answers (corresponding
statsoft.com) and differences were considered
to 8% of the total) were submitted to an ANOVA
statistically significant with a value of α < 0.05.
with the factors of Mapping Rule (mapping rule
1 and mapping rule 2), Compatibility (compatible
Results and incompatible conditions) and Bin (from 1º to
Considering the factors of Mapping Rule, Com- 5º). We found no significant effect for the main
patibility and Bin, the ANOVA revealed a significant factors or interactions. The percentages of errors
three-way interaction [F (1,33) = 3.377 p = .01, η2 = were 3% and 4% for mapping rules 1 and 2, res-
0.92]. To explore the sources of the interactions pectively. For both stimuli (living and dying), the
between Mapping Rule, Compatibility, and Bin, error percentage remained at 4%. The absence of
planned comparisons were made and showed significant effects indicates that stimulus valence,
that: mapping rule, and spatial compatibility do not
1. For mapping rule 1, the TRMs were faster affect participants’ judgment errors.
for the word “dying” (contralateral response/
incompatible condition) than for the word “living”
(ipsilateral response/compatible condition) with
significant difference from the third temporal
interval on: 3º quintile (p=0.04) and 4º quintile
(p=0.01), with TRMs of 596ms (live) and 582 ms
(die) for the third interval (SCR effect - stimulus-
-response compatibility: 14ms), 651ms (live) and
635ms (die) for the fourth temporal interval (SCR
effect of 16ms);
2. For Mapping 2, the TRMs were faster for the
word “living” (contralateral response/incompatib-
 6/11 Psico, Porto Alegre, v. 55, n. 1, p. 1-11, jan.-dez. 2024 | e-42765

Figure 2. Interaction between mapping rule, compatibility, and bin. A) Anova of repeated measures
(n = 34). Bars represent the standard error and the symbol (*), the significant differences (p < .05); B)
Delta-plot representing the difference between incompatible and compatible conditions in each
mapping rule.

Discussion
The planning of motor actions is strongly de- meaning for the individual, either with a positive
pendent on the spatial position of the target. or a negative valence. Studies show that affecti-
Even when irrelevant to the response selection, ve stimuli interfere in decision making, inducing
spatial location cannot be ignored (Fraga-Filho et approach and avoidance reactions to positive
al. 2018; Tsal & Lavie, 1993). For example, manual and negative stimuli, respectively (Cavallet et
responses are more accurate and faster to visual al., 2016; Chen & Bargh, 1999; Conde et al., 2011;
stimuli presented ipsilaterally compared to that Nascimento et al., 2020; Torro-Alves et al., 2008).
presented contralaterally. However, in addition to Studies have shown that different affective
the spatial position, stimuli may have an emotional stimuli (pictures of soccer players, spiders, and
flowers) may modulated the spatial compatibility
 Paulo Frassinetti Delfino do Nascimento • Nelson Torro Alves • Allan Pablo do Nascimento Lameira
Viver ou morrer? A influência das emoções desencadeadas por palavras nos tempos de reação manual 7/11

effect. TRMs were faster and more accurate when der two main aspects of the emotional stimulus:
ipsilateral responses were performed for the po- 1) the valence, which correspond to how positive
sitive stimulus and contralateral for the negative and negative someone feels about the stimulus;
stimulus, compared to the opposite pattern (for and 2) the arousal, which correspond to physio-
more details see Conde et al., 2014a, b, 2011; logical reactions induced by the stimulus (Nealis
Yamaguchi et al., 2018). However, differently from et al., 2016). In other words, in addition to having
previous studies, which used linguistic stimuli of different polarities, words vary in relevance for the
learned valence (candidate names), we investiga- subject, influencing the attentional recruitment
ted here the motor responses to linguistic stimuli and emotional arousal. In a neurobiological mo-
with innate valence (“living” and “dying”). del, during the view of a negative stimulus, the
The analysis revealed no differences between amygdala has excitatory efferences on the lateral
ipsilateral and contralateral responses for the and dorsolateral regions of the periaqueductal
word “living”. However, for the word “dying”, ip- gray, stimulating the pyramidal tract to produce
silateral responses (compatible condition) were fight and/or escape reactions (Berne & Levy, 2018;
slower than the contralateral ones (incompatible Burke, 2007; Hall & Guyton, 2017; LeDoux, 2003).
condition). By analyzing the results within the Therefore, the divergence between the results
same block, we found that, for the mapping 1, may be due to the use of not innate affective
the ipsilateral responses to the word “living” were signs (names of the political personalities) by
slower than contralateral responses to the word Nascimento et al. (2020), that resulted in a lower
“dying”. On the other hand, for the mapping 2, level of excitement and emotional value, compa-
the contralateral responses to the word “living” red to the words “living” and “dying”. In that case,
were faster than the ipsilateral responses to the the emotional value attributed by the volunteers
word “dying”, but with a statistically significant may be a result of several factors, such as family
difference found only in the third temporal interval. influence, media, lived experiences, and future
Although our results disagree with other stu- hopes. Thus, the speed of response of the indivi-
dies using the Affective Spatial Compatibility Task, dual to stimuli related to politics varies depending
such as when names of presidential candidates on how politically involved the participants are
were used as affective stimuli (Nascimento et (Huckfeldt et al., 1999).
al., 2020), there is evidence that the modulation In the present study, the faster contralateral
of response times may be greater to negative responses to the word “dying” than ipsilateral
stimuli compared to the positive ones (Joseph responses to the word “living”, in mapping rule 1,
et al., 2020; Holas et al., 2018; Smith et al., 2003). may have resulted from the high level of excita-
Basically, negative stimuli, such as the word bility to innate stimuli. Because of its relevance
“death”, attract more quickly and accurately the to the individual, the attentional mechanisms
attention due to the automatic processes of de- remain active (automatic vigilance), favoring a
tection and avoidance of danger (Estes & Verges, preparation of the motor system to the negative
2008; Fazio, 2001; Neumann et al. 2003). In other stimulus (dying) that overcomes the facilitation
words, the action of avoiding danger recruits gre- of ipsilateral responses to the positive stimulus
ater attentional resources to generate accurate (living) (Estes & Verges, 2008). For mapping rule
and immediate responses. However, for positive 2, the attention recruitment for the word “dying”
values, such as eating, dancing or living, the remains, but ipsilateral responses are strongly
responses become less immediate compared to suppressed, causing slowness of response (higher
warding off a negative result (Flykt, 2006; Ohman TRMs) compared to the contralateral response
& Mineka, 2001; Pratto & John 1991). to “living”.
In order to contrast the work of Nascimento et Finally, the analysis of temporal dynamics
al. (2020) to the present study, we need to consi- revealed that the mechanisms of processing
 8/11 Psico, Porto Alegre, v. 55, n. 1, p. 1-11, jan.-dez. 2024 | e-42765

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Paulo Frassinetti Delfino do Nascimento

Mestre em Neurociência Cognitiva e Comportamento
pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), em João
Pessoa, PB, Brasil; graduado em Enfermagem pela
Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), em
Cajazeiras, PB, Brasil. Doutorando em Neurociência
Cognitiva e Comportamento pela Universidade Federal
da Paraíba (UFPB), em João Pessoa-PB; bolsista Capes
e pesquisador do Laboratório de Ciências Cognitivas
e Percepção (LACOP/UFPB) e do Laboratório de Cog-
nição e Comportamento (LaCC/UFCG).

Nelson Torro Alves

Doutor e mestre em Psicobiologia pela Universidade
de São Paulo (USP), em Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil;
graduado em Psicologia pela Universidade de São
Paulo (USP), em Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil. Professor
da Universidade Federal da Paraíba em João Pessoa,
PB, Brasil; coordenador do Laboratório de Ciências
Cognitivas e Percepção (LACOP/UFPB).

Allan Pablo do Nascimento Lameira

Doutor em Neurociência pela Universidade Federal
Fluminense (UFF), em Niterói, RJ, Brasil; mestre em
Neuroimunologia pela Universidade Federal Flumi-
nense (UFF), em Niterói, RJ, Brasil. Professor da Uni-
versidade Federal de Campinas Grande (UFCG), em
Cajazeiras, PB, Brasil; coordenador do Laboratório de
Cognição e Comportamento (LaCC/UFCG).

Mailing address
Paulo Frassinetti Delfino do Nascimento
Universidade Federal da Paraíba
Campus I, Bloco C - CCHLA, LACOP
Castelo Branco, 58051-900
João Pessoa, PB. Brasil

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